A WHIRLWIND romance is still going full steam ahead for a couple who met at Crewe Works.

Leonard and Joyce Cooke, both 82, of Highfield Drive in Nantwich, met at the West Street site at Christmas 1945 and fell so madly in love they married just seven months later.

Leonard, originally from Romford, and Joyce, from Highbury, have lived in Nantwich for 61 years after moving from London at the end of the Second World War.

They both found jobs at Crewe Works where Leonard, a maintenance electrician, met Joyce as he visited the signal shop where she worked on a machine.

They tied the knot at St Mary's Church in Nantwich on July 27, 1946.

Leonard explained: 'It all happened very quickly but we both knew getting married was the right thing to do.

'We haven't looked back since the day we were married and I can honestly say we have not had a serious row in 60 years.'

The couple have three children - Philip, 59, who is a police officer, Yvonne, 53, who was deputy headteacher at Wrenbury Primary School until she retired last year, and Neil, 49, who works at property developer Seddons.

They also have four grandchildren. The family helped the happy couple celebrate at a gathering at Hawkstone Hall in Shropshire.